Umbrella



(No Model.)

U. G. STEINMETZ.

UMBRELLA.

Patent Feb. 16, 1886.

WITNESSES! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

URIAH G. STEINMETZ, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,532, dated February 16,1886.

Application filed August 31, 1885. Serial No. 175,773. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, URIAH G. STEINMETZ, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Umbrellas, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the frame of an umbrella embodying my invention, said frame being folded. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section thereof, the frame being thrown out from the stick. Fig. 3 represents a view of a detached portion on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 represents a section thereof in linear m, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a section of a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists of an umbrella or parasol having its stretchers provided with shoulders which are in close proximity to the fork and have the ribs abut thereagainst, whereby when the folded umbrella or parasol is unfastened the tip ends of the ribs are thrown out from the stick, and thus the hand may freely reach the runner without interference of the ribs. The umbrella or parasol also folds in small compass, and bulging of the parts of the same is obviated.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the stick of an umbrella, and B the ribs; 0, the stretchers, and D the runners thereof, said stretchers having theirinner or upper ends pivoted to the ribs, as usual. The stretchers are formed near their inner or upper ends with shoulders E, which are produced by bendingthe same near said ends in diagonal direction, as at E, so that said ends are set back from the main length of the stretchers, leaving the shoulders E in such position that when the umbrella is closed the ribs abut against said shoulders. Consequently when the umbrella is folded the ribs bend against the main length of the stretchers, the shoulders E serving as fulcra for said ribs in their bending motion.

When the umbrella is to be opened, the

fastening-tie is unbuttoned or the tip cup removed from the tips,whereby the ribs bending against the shoulders E spring out from the stretchers, and their tip ends are so removed from the stick that the hand may be inserted between the ribs, so as to reach the runner with greatfreedom and without interference of the said tip ends, shaking ofthe umbrella primarily to opening the same being rendered unnecessary, and sticking and catching of the frame obviated.

\Vhen the umbrella is folded, the upper ends of the ribs are bent inwardly and pressed toward or against the stick, and the stretchers are also bent inwardly and pressed toward or against the stick. This reduces the diameter,and consequently the conipass,of the folded umbrella, and obviates bulging of the parts thereof. The lower or outer ends of the ribs are bent inwardly, so that when the umbrella is folded they may closely approach the stick. Where fluted ribs and stretchers are employed, the stretchers have the flutes on their inner faces, so that when the ribs close against the stretchers they embrace the same and interlock therewith, preventing lateral displacement of the ribs from their position on the stretchers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an umbrella-frame, the ribs, in combination with stretchers having near their up per or inner ends shoulders against which the ribs abut when folded, said ends of the stretchers being set back from the main length thereof, and the intermediate parts extending diagonally, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An umbrella. -frame having fluted ribs and stretchers, with shoulders near the pivotal ends, said ribs embracing said shoulders when the umbrella is folded, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

U. G. STEINMETZ.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, A. P. GRANT. 

